letter to hicc - revised horse fees

12 September 2008

Dear Horse Industry Consultative Members

As you are aware the Government agreed to all 38 recommendations following from the Report of the Equine Influenza Inquiry including recommendation 38: “that, until the review of those fees has been completed, the fee charged by the Government controlled and operated quarantine stations for thoroughbred stallions temporarily imported into Australia be not less than $165 plus GST a day and the fee for all other horses be not less than $65 plus GST a day. No discount is to be allowed for the number of horses in a consignment.”

I wish to advise that the Hon Tony Burke MP, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, has signed the Quarantine Service Fees Determination 2005 to give effect to this recommendation. The new fees for horses at Government quarantine stations will be $165 a day for thoroughbred stallions the import permit for which provides that the stallion is to remain in Australia for a continuous period of no longer than 6 months and $65 for equine animals other than a thoroughbred stallion. The new fees will come into effect on 1 October 2008 and will apply to all horses that enter post arrival quarantine at either Eastern Creek or Spotswood Quarantine Stations on or after this date. The new fees will not be applied to horses that are already in quarantine on that date.

As stated in the Equine Influenza Report recommendations, these are interim fees until such time that the Horse Import Program completes a comprehensive fee review. The fee review for horse imports is scheduled to take place in the first half of 2009 following the completion of a number of reviews and inspections of airport and quarantine facilities and activities. The reviews and inspections will be conducted by Biosecurity Australia and an Expert Group who will be providing recommendations to the Executive Director of the Australia Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS). A number of members of the Horse Industry Consultative Committee will be attending a workshop in Canberra on 19 September where the various reviews and inspections of post arrival and pre export quarantine facilities and operations will be discussed.

I also wish to advise members that the Minister has announced the appointment of the Interim Inspector General of Horse Importation, Dr Kevin Dunn. Dr Dunn is a former Queensland Chief Veterinary Officer and has extensive expertise in quarantine and biosecurity issues. He will play an important role in checking operations and procedures for the importation of horses, in Australia and overseas, and providing advice to the Minister and Executive Director of AQIS.

If you have any queries regarding the new fees or the Interim Inspector General please do not hesitate to contact me on (02) 6272 5917.

Yours sincerely

Ann McDonald
National Manager
Animal Quarantine